Community Supervision Officer / Probation Officer 

(Female, Age 49) from Santa Fe, NY

This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 49 who works as a Community Supervision Officer / Probation Officer in Santa Fe, NY. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.

At a Glance

Current Job

Basic data on your current job

Job Title Community Supervision Officer / Probation Officer
Salary $31,500
Other Compensation None Set
Hours/Week 40
Company Size (not answered)
Location Santa Fe, NY
Years Experience 3 years

Career Ratings

Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)

Years in Career 0
Education (not answered)
Income Rating 0 / 10
Interest Rating 0 / 10
Work-Life Rating 0 / 10
Fulfilment Rating 0 / 10

Current job Q&A

Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work for both the State of Texas and Galveston County Texas. I am responsible for about 200 felony and misdemeanor probationers. There are about 25 Officers in Galveston County. We also are responsible to County and District Judges.

Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I see probationers in my office for monthly probation meetings. One afternoon a week I go out into the field to verify my probationer’s residence. And monthly I may have to go to court to request action against a probationer who is not doing what they are suppose to be doing.

Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
80 hours vacation a year, 11 paid holidays, 40 hours sick leave, free health insurance (paid for by the state of Texas), and retirement.

Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
I would like to be compensated more, but what I receive is fair.

Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I see people daily and I do not have a problem with this. This is one of the things I like about my job the interaction.

Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes

Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes

Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
I work in an office setting. I have my own office and we have a department secretary. I don’t have any dislikes because I am out of the office alot also. If I had to stay constantly in my office I think I could get bored very easy.

Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 6
Benefits: 5
Hours: 2
Co-Workers: 7
Supervisors: 8
Job Title: 4
Level of Responsibility: 3
The Actual Work: 1

A day in the life of…

Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:

5am to 6am
6am to 7am
7am to 8am I do not start work until 8.
8am to 9am Pulling files and doing paperwork

Some days I may have Court in the morning

9am to 10am Meeting with probationers
10am to 11am Meeting with probationers
11am to 12pm Paperwork
12pm to 1pm Lunch
1pm to 2pm Mail

Court paperwork

Prepairing new cases

Wednesday afternoons I am out in the field

I may have court in the afternoon monthly.

2pm to 3pm Seeing probatioers.
3pm to 4pm Seeing probationers
4pm to 5pm Paperwork
5pm to 6pm 5 going home
6pm to 7pm
7pm to 8pm
8pm to 9pm
9pm to 10pm
10pm to 11pm
11pm to 12am

Table of Contents

How you got your job

How did you get your current job?
Through the internet and a neighbor.

What was the application process?
Paper application, and resume, and test.

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I was interviewed by three probation supervisors. I was asked questions about how I would handle and feel in certain situations. I was given a test about legal documents.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I don’t really remember any specific questions. They were on topics such as what would I do if the person I was supervising wasn’t reporting as directed. What would I do if I had a person who was on for DWI (Driving while intoxicated) and they could not stop drinking?

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes they did, but you have to develope your own work style. You have to be a communicator and that you have to develope from your training.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes. I went to school for a week and had to take a test to get my probation officer certification.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes, to a book learning level. No for an interaction level. Each probationer is different and has to be handle in a way that will make them want to succeed.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
No I did not inern for probation.

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
To get a job like mine you have to have a Bachelors of Science Degree in some form of criminal justice or social work. You also need to receive certification by the state in which you want to work. (This certification can be received after you start work in some states.)

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
People skills, understanding, listening skill, perception, communication. You need to be cautious but no afraid. (EX you cant be afraid if you have a felon who is on probation for assault to supervise them.) There is alot of paperwork you have to be able to spell and proof read.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes you do. You are part social worker, you have to understand how the legal system works, and you are part counselor.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Develope thick skin, take your time find your own groove. You have to be compassionate, stern, and incontrol of the situation.

Long-term career plans

Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Now it is. Probation Officer was not what I wanted to be, but now I wish I had become one sooner. I always thought that being a probation officer was beneath me even though I was qualified to be one due to my education.

What are your current career goals?
To become a department supervisior.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
I have a good career and work environment.

Prior work history

Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:

Title Length Salary Description
Prior Job 1 Technical Support 1 year 9.5 Help people repair their Dish Network systems over the phone.
Prior Job 2 Fraud Investigator 11 Years 25000 Investigate credit card fraud and Identity theft. Filed police cases and testified in court.

Educational background

Please list your educational background:

High School GPA:3.6

GPA School Degree
College (Undergraduate)
or Technical/Vocational
3.4 University of Houston at Clear Lake City BS Administration of Criminal Justice
Graduate or Professional
(Masters or Doctorate)

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